(Updated June 19, 2022) – Understandably, the Philippines’ campaign in the 2021 SEA Games had a big drop from the one in 2019 held at home. The smaller contingent of Cordilleran athletes also saw their contributions dive.
After the Cordillerans bagged 18 golds, 12 silvers and 8 bronze medals when the competitions were held at home, their contribution the Philippine contingent for the 31st South East Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 12-23, 2022.were down to 6-11-13. The most noticeable drop was in gold medals where it is equivalent to about two-thirds of their previous haul.
The Baguio City Public Information Office listed 5 gold medals, 11 silvers, and 11 bronzes contribution of athletes from the city while the Municipality of Bontoc incentivized two athletes who hailed from their territory.
As in the past, the athletes made their marks in various combat sports and dancesport.
Kickboxing provided the best contribution as a discipline while Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez contributed a gold and two silvers as a team competing in dancesport.
Kickboxing (2 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes)
(1) Jean Claude Saclag – gold in Men’s 63.5kg Low Kick; (2) Gina Iniong-Araos – gold in Women’s 60 kg Low Kick.
(3) Claudine Veloso – silver in Women’s 52kg Low Kick; (4) Zephania Ngaya – silver in Women’s 65kg Low Kick; (5) Renalyn Dacquel – silver in Women’s 48kg Full Contact.
(6) Honorio Banario – bronze in Men’s 70kg Low Kick; (7) Emmanuel Cantores – bronze in Men’s 60kg Low Kick.
Dancesport (1 gold, 2 silvers)
(1) Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez – Gold in Single Dance – Latin Cha Cha.
(2) Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez – Silver in Single Dance – Latin Jive; (3) Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez – Silver in Latin – All five dances.
Boxing (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronzes)
(1) Eumir Felix Marcial – Gold in Men’s 75kg.
(2) Irish Magno – Silver in Women’s 51 kg.
(3) Nesthy Petecio – Bronze in Women’s 57-60kg; (4) Josie Gabuco – Bronze in Women’s 45-48kg.
Taekwondo (1 gold, 1 silver)
(1) Kurt Barbosa (who hails from Abra) – Gold in Men’s Under – 54 kg.
(2) Silver: Team of Jeordan Dominguez and Justine Kobe Macario (in a team with 3 others) in Mixed Freestyle Team Poomsae.
Muay Thai (1 gold, 2 bronze)
(1) Islay Erika Bomogao (with Richien Yosorez) – Gold in Wai Kru Mai Muay All Female.
(2) Ariel Lee Lampacan – Bronze in Men’s Combat 54kg; (3) April Joy La Madrid (who hails from Barangay Talubin, Bontoc Mountain Province) – bronze in Women’s Combat 60kg.
Wushu (1 silver, 3 bronzes)
(1) Jones Llabres Inso – silver in Taolu-Taijiquan.
(2) Jones Llabres Inso – Bronze in Taolu; (3) Divine Wally – Bronze in Women’s Sanda 48kg; (4) Gideon Fred Padua – Bronze in Men’s Sanda 60kg.
Kurash (2 silvers, 1 bronze)
(1) Helen Aclopen (who traces her roots in Barangay Dalican, Bontoc, Mountain Province) – Silver in Women’s 48kg; (2) Charmea Quelino – Silver in Women’s 52kg.
(3) Estie Gay Liwanen – Bronze in Women’s 57kg.
Wrestling (1 silver, 1 bronze)
(1) Minalyn Foy-os – Silver in Women’s 57kg Freestyle;
(2) Jason Balabal (from Tinoc, Ifugao) – bronze in Men’s Freestyle 97kg
Vovinam (2 bronzes)
(1) Jenelyn Olsim (from Bokod, Benguet) – Bronze in Women’s 55kg; (2) Zephania Ngaya – bronze in Women’s 60kg.
From being the overall champion in 2019 with a historic 149-117-121 tally, the Philippine dropped to 4th place with 50-69-93 count.
Obviously, the hometown’s ability to add disciplines where they excel and fielding more athletes to the games is an inherent advantage.
However, the Philippines still struggled to excel in disciplines they usually perform well. Highlighting this was the inability of the basketball contingent to defend three of their four golds, including men’s 5×5 represented by Gilas.
As expected, host country, Vietnam, run away with the championship by amassing 197 golds, 115 silvers, and 110 bronze medals. Thailand (85 golds, 97 silvers, and 127 bronzes) and Indonesia (63 gold medals, 85 silvers, and 72 bronzes) trailed them in the medal tally.
A total of 11 countries took part in the games.
By Armando M. Bolislis